Police in the UK have arrested a teenager believed to have been involved with …

A 19-year-old alleged member of the Anonymous and LulzSec hacking groups has been arrested in the UK. The Metropolitan Police Central e-Crime Unit announced that Ryan Cleary, of Wickford, Essex, was arrested last night on suspicion of offenses under the Computer Misuse Act and Fraud Act. He's currently being held in a central London police station.

Cleary was responsible for running one of the IRC servers used by AnonOps, a faction of the Anonymous group that co-ordinated attacks on both perceived "enemies" of WikiLeaks and various Middle Eastern governments, until an acrimonious split last month. Subsequently, he is believed to have been a member of Lulz Security, responsible for running that group's IRC server.

The police, working in co-ordination with the FBI, have seized a "significant amount" of material from Cleary's address which is now undergoing forensic examination.

LulzSec, for its part, is denying that any member of their group has been arrested, wondering which "poor bastard" had been taken in. However, their IRC server is offline, which would be consistent with claims that it was operated by Cleary.

Concurrent with this, a post made to Pastebin that purports to be a LulzSec press release claims that the group has stolen the data collected in the UK's recent census. The post claims that the data will be published once it has been suitably formatted. Collecting the data was outsourced to defense contractor Lockheed Martin—itself the victim of recent attacks. Speaking to Channel 4 News, a spokesperson for the census claimed that there was "no evidence" to suggest that the data had been compromised.

LulzSec this morning sought to distance itself from the census claims. The group pointed out that anyone can paste the Lulz Boat ASCII art into Pastebin, and said that only releases that were promoted via Twitter should be trusted. There was no tweet publicizing the census post.

God; random and unnecessary information, but I saw this on reddit a few hours ago, and some of the far right pundits made an interesting theory about LulzSec that doesn't surprise me. They think that LulzSec is a PsyOp of some kind that is intentionally or unintentionally trying to provoke major gov't's to promote more Internet legislation to reign in all of the illegal security breaches as of late.

Personally I think it could be used as ammunition to do so; but I know several organizations that will fight tooth and nail to prevent that sort of thing, and would be glad to give them an entire paycheck to help them fight the good fight.

It's everyone's fear that the internet in the next 20 years reminds people of US airport security.

God; random and unnecessary information, but I saw this on reddit a few hours ago, and some of the far right pundits made an interesting theory about LulzSec that doesn't surprise me. They think that LulzSec is a PsyOp of some kind that is intentionally or unintentionally trying to provoke major gov't's to promote more Internet legislation to reign in all of the illegal security breaches as of late.

Personally I think it could be used as ammunition to do so; but I know several organizations that will fight tooth and nail to prevent that sort of thing, and would be glad to give them an entire paycheck to help them fight the good fight.

It's everyone's fear that the internet in the next 20 years reminds people of US airport security.

While I'm always one to enjoy smoking up a bowl of conspiracy theory, I think that if any informed government were to try this it would be on a much grander scale. Not shutting down PSN, and swiping info from Sony BGM and other near worthless sites.

Hope he gets massive amounts of jail time for this.Set a nice big precedent for trying to hack into people's lives just for fun.

You are an idiot of the highest caliber. The kid ran an irc server and you want him to go to jail forever.

You don't know this guy, you don't even know what he did, you apparently didn't even read the article, where it says the only thing they got him for is allegdly running an irc server, and yet you think it's a-ok to throw him in jail and throw away the key.

What kind of horrible monster thinks that a 19 year old kid who likes to play at activism on the internet needs to go to jail(A place notorious for taking innocent people and forcing them to become REAL criminals to survive/not get buttraped)? The kind that passes judgment on others without even getting all the facts straight apparently, I hope I never have the misfortune to know you, you'll probably try to throw me in jail...

Hope he gets massive amounts of jail time for this.Set a nice big precedent for trying to hack into people's lives just for fun.

You are an idiot of the highest caliber. The kid ran an irc server and you want him to go to jail forever.

You don't know this guy, you don't even know what he did, you apparently didn't even read the article, where it says the only thing they got him for is allegdly running an irc server, and yet you think it's a-ok to throw him in jail and throw away the key.

What kind of horrible monster thinks that a 19 year old kid who likes to play at activism on the internet needs to go to jail(A place notorious for taking innocent people and forcing them to become REAL criminals to survive/not get buttraped)? The kind that passes judgment on others without even getting all the facts straight apparently, I hope I never have the misfortune to know you, you'll probably try to throw me in jail...

It's amusing how many people join the lynch mob when authorities claim they have arrested a member of Lulz or Anon and yet they give no evidence to confirm that they have, only conjecture and empty accusations. It saddens me that so many people are of the "guilty cuz the gubmint sed so" mindset. The law can say anything they want about the associations and guilt of a person, but without evidence, they're just trying to stir the public into a frothing rage so that they demand the heads of the people arrested on a pike. You people should be ashamed of yourselves.

Just goes to show, when you think you're the most bad ass guy in the room, you're not.

lol, yep.

What these tards don't realize is that you DON'T want the CIA and their ilk looking for you when no one else knows who you are. People like that may not end up on the news, they just kind of... go away for a permanent while.

It's amusing how many people join the lynch mob when authorities claim they have arrested a member of Lulz or Anon and yet they give no evidence to confirm that they have, only conjecture and empty accusations. It saddens me that so many people are of the "guilty cuz the gubmint sed so" mindset. The law can say anything they want about the associations and guilt of a person, but without evidence, they're just trying to stir the public into a frothing rage so that they demand the heads of the people arrested on a pike. You people should be ashamed of yourselves.

There's no way to rule innocent men. The only power government has is the power to crack down on criminals. When there aren't enough criminals, one makes them. One declares so many things to be a crime that it becomes impossible for men to live without breaking laws.— Ayn Rand

There's no way to rule innocent men. The only power government has is the power to crack down on criminals. When there aren't enough criminals, one makes them. One declares so many things to be a crime that it becomes impossible for men to live without breaking laws.— Ayn Rand

Hope he gets massive amounts of jail time for this.Set a nice big precedent for trying to hack into people's lives just for fun.

You are an idiot of the highest caliber. The kid ran an irc server and you want him to go to jail forever.

You don't know this guy, you don't even know what he did, you apparently didn't even read the article, where it says the only thing they got him for is allegdly running an irc server, and yet you think it's a-ok to throw him in jail and throw away the key.

What kind of horrible monster thinks that a 19 year old kid who likes to play at activism on the internet needs to go to jail(A place notorious for taking innocent people and forcing them to become REAL criminals to survive/not get buttraped)? The kind that passes judgment on others without even getting all the facts straight apparently, I hope I never have the misfortune to know you, you'll probably try to throw me in jail...

By the age of 19 a person should have a sense of what is right, wrong, and criminal. If you break the law, you deserve to be punished to the extent set forth by said law. Being a d-bag for shits and giggles does not excuse someone from being subject to legal authority. If you don't agree with the laws, then lobby to have them changed. And if you don't want to risk going to prison, don't break the laws that exist. Simple as that.

On Friday, Sega confirmed news reports that attackers had compromised its systems, systems, exposing data on 1.3 million users. Sega took the hacked Sega Pass system, which is both a newsletter and account management system for the company's online games, offline on Thursday. It gave no estimate for when the service would be restored... In the case of Sega, LulzSec offered to help find the perpetrators... We want to help you destroy the hackers that attacked you. We love the Dreamcast, these people are going down," ...

By the age of 19 a person should have a sense of what is right, wrong, and criminal. If you break the law, you deserve to be punished to the extent set forth by said law. Being a d-bag for shits and giggles does not excuse someone from being subject to legal authority. If you don't agree with the laws, then lobby to have them changed. And if you don't want to risk going to prison, don't break the laws that exist. Simple as that.

Hope he gets massive amounts of jail time for this.Set a nice big precedent for trying to hack into people's lives just for fun.

You are an idiot of the highest caliber. The kid ran an irc server and you want him to go to jail forever.

You don't know this guy, you don't even know what he did, you apparently didn't even read the article, where it says the only thing they got him for is allegdly running an irc server, and yet you think it's a-ok to throw him in jail and throw away the key.

What kind of horrible monster thinks that a 19 year old kid who likes to play at activism on the internet needs to go to jail(A place notorious for taking innocent people and forcing them to become REAL criminals to survive/not get buttraped)? The kind that passes judgment on others without even getting all the facts straight apparently, I hope I never have the misfortune to know you, you'll probably try to throw me in jail...

By the age of 19 a person should have a sense of what is right, wrong, and criminal. If you break the law, you deserve to be punished to the extent set forth by said law. Being a d-bag for shits and giggles does not excuse someone from being subject to legal authority. If you don't agree with the laws, then lobby to have them changed. And if you don't want to risk going to prison, don't break the laws that exist. Simple as that.

READ THE ARTICLE. Please. Nowhere does it state that the person in question has done anything wrong. He essentially ran a chatroom that is it. So as far as anyone knows the person in custody has not broken any of the laws that exist and as such you should be crying foul for the police detaining him if you care so much about the laws on the books.

No sympathy whatsoever. None. A simple search indicates that he has been terrorizing people for years. I conclude, from that information and from his acknowledged participation with LulzSec - to any degree - that he is a jerk (to understate it), and I would like to see very bad things happen to him.

how is running an IRC server where people discuss nefarious plans different than running a bar where people discuss nefarious plans in the corner booth?

Plausible deniability, I suppose. The general purpose of a bar is to get schmamered. The general purpose of an IRC server with a channel named something like #LulzSec or #ScrewTheCIA has another purpose.

People should keep releasing fake LulzSec stuff. It helps filter out the peon masses from the respectable, fact-checking media outlets.

This is why I only trust Ars in their reporting, if you've checked any other "news" souce for geeks, they would be spouting out bile and fail that "OMG LulzSec is gone finally!!!1111one". Keep up the good work Ars. Much Respect.

People should keep releasing fake LulzSec stuff. It helps filter out the peon masses from the respectable, fact-checking media outlets.

This is why I only trust Ars in their reporting, if you've checked any other "news" souce for geeks, they would be spouting out bile and fail that "OMG LulzSec is gone finally!!!1111one". Keep up the good work Ars. Much Respect.

Before another "OMG Ars = Lulzsec" thread starts This just proves that Ars knows how to do simple research and doesn't blow arrests out of proportion.

While it's not in the article, NPR did report this morning that Scotland Yard is holding him, charging him with attempting to break into CIA servers. I'm pretty sure that's a criminal charge, so I don't think they're holding him for simply running an IRC server. I think his lulz may be over for a while. If I were the rest of that group I'd be thinking pretty seriously about how much farther I want to go with this.

People should keep releasing fake LulzSec stuff. It helps filter out the peon masses from the respectable, fact-checking media outlets.

This is why I only trust Ars in their reporting, if you've checked any other "news" souce for geeks, they would be spouting out bile and fail that "OMG LulzSec is gone finally!!!1111one". Keep up the good work Ars. Much Respect.

When said IRC server is specifically set up to facilitate various crimes, yes, that would be against the law. It's called being an accomplice. It's like owning a building that you knowingly lease out to people who set up a meth lab there. Yes, you will get busted for helping facilitate a meth lab.

Hope he gets massive amounts of jail time for this.Set a nice big precedent for trying to hack into people's lives just for fun.

You are an idiot of the highest caliber. The kid ran an irc server and you want him to go to jail forever.

You don't know this guy, you don't even know what he did, you apparently didn't even read the article, where it says the only thing they got him for is allegdly running an irc server, and yet you think it's a-ok to throw him in jail and throw away the key.

What kind of horrible monster thinks that a 19 year old kid who likes to play at activism on the internet needs to go to jail(A place notorious for taking innocent people and forcing them to become REAL criminals to survive/not get buttraped)? The kind that passes judgment on others without even getting all the facts straight apparently, I hope I never have the misfortune to know you, you'll probably try to throw me in jail...

By the age of 19 a person should have a sense of what is right, wrong, and criminal. If you break the law, you deserve to be punished to the extent set forth by said law. Being a d-bag for shits and giggles does not excuse someone from being subject to legal authority. If you don't agree with the laws, then lobby to have them changed. And if you don't want to risk going to prison, don't break the laws that exist. Simple as that.

READ THE ARTICLE. Please. Nowhere does it state that the person in question has done anything wrong. He essentially ran a chatroom that is it. So as far as anyone knows the person in custody has not broken any of the laws that exist and as such you should be crying foul for the police detaining him if you care so much about the laws on the books.

I was simply responding to the sentiment that none of the LulzSec members deserve jail time because they are "activists". I was not commenting upon the legal status of this alleged member. I did read the article. I don't think anyone should jump to any judgement before the facts are known. But there is no denying that hacking of this sort is criminal. If this dude just ran an IRC server, fine. But if he was aiding criminal activities, he should face some form of punishment.

Whistleblowing for the good of society is one thing. Being an asshole at the expense of innocents is something else entirely.

People claiming this guy "only ran an IRC channel" should keep in mind that if the channel was only there for LulzSec's use, it'd probably make him eligible for conspiracy charges in the data theft and leakage cases against Lulz. I'm not saying lock him up and throw away the key, but if he was knowingly managing an online space where attacks were coordinated, he's in some trouble. If you had a room in the back of your bar that you knowingly allowed a group of bank robbers to use in planning their robberies, you'd be in some trouble, too.

No sympathy whatsoever. None. A simple search indicates that he has been terrorizing people for years. I conclude, from that information and from his acknowledged participation with LulzSec - to any degree - that he is a jerk (to understate it), and I would like to see very bad things happen to him.

A simple search indicates that you should go back to whatever rock you crawled out from under.

Again I have to point out that you are tring to condemn someone for what you saw from a google search. Are you really that much of a mal adjusted individual that you need to sit there in your(mom's) basement imagining "very bad things happening to him." Is it jealousy that these people are standing up to the government and all said governments can do is arrest a guy for running a chat room?

WHERE IS THE INDIGNATION THAT THEY ARRESTED HIM FOR RUNNING AN IRC SERVER?

also

bb-15 wrote:

Quote:Hacker group LulzSec has begun publicly attacking hacker group Anonymous, an action that could lead to a civil war of sorts between the two hacker groups that have similar origins.

Hope he gets massive amounts of jail time for this.Set a nice big precedent for trying to hack into people's lives just for fun.

You are an idiot of the highest caliber. The kid ran an irc server and you want him to go to jail forever.

You don't know this guy, you don't even know what he did, you apparently didn't even read the article, where it says the only thing they got him for is allegdly running an irc server, and yet you think it's a-ok to throw him in jail and throw away the key.

What kind of horrible monster thinks that a 19 year old kid who likes to play at activism on the internet needs to go to jail(A place notorious for taking innocent people and forcing them to become REAL criminals to survive/not get buttraped)? The kind that passes judgment on others without even getting all the facts straight apparently, I hope I never have the misfortune to know you, you'll probably try to throw me in jail...

By the age of 19 a person should have a sense of what is right, wrong, and criminal. If you break the law, you deserve to be punished to the extent set forth by said law. Being a d-bag for shits and giggles does not excuse someone from being subject to legal authority. If you don't agree with the laws, then lobby to have them changed. And if you don't want to risk going to prison, don't break the laws that exist. Simple as that.

READ THE ARTICLE. Please. Nowhere does it state that the person in question has done anything wrong. He essentially ran a chatroom that is it. So as far as anyone knows the person in custody has not broken any of the laws that exist and as such you should be crying foul for the police detaining him if you care so much about the laws on the books.

Might help if you read the article, he's in the UK. UK has different laws than the US in terms of speech, sedition, etc. This wasn't the FBI kicking in someone's door just for exercising his first amendment right to free speech, this is police in the UK kicking in someone's door for violating their laws. The UK has ALOT of restrictions on speech and have been known to even ban media access to certain groups. Heck if they don't like what you write they can label your literature illegal under the Terrorism Act of 2000.

Yes it may suck, yes I think all should have the right to freedom of expression and speech; HOWEVER, I am an American, I have no right to say what another country should or should not do as its laws unless it is an obvious Human Rights violation (such as child labor)... Rather it is the responsibility of the citizens of the UK to change their laws if they find them disagreeable.